Preserving Beaufort's bases
is the top priority of the city's Military Enhancement Committee and now they
have more money to execute their mission.
It's a fight to keep the
sound of freedom ringing in Beaufort, and Monday the state of South Carolina gave
their support. Comptroller General
Richard Eckstrom says cutbacks are inevitable in the Department of Defense, but
South Carolina is pitching in $50,000 toward the local effort of convincing
decision makers not to trim too much here.
"We're not trying to
stand in the way of needed base eliminations," Eckstrom said. "If there's a base not doing its job, if
there's a base that costs more to operate than another that does the same, we
say ‘go for it.' But we're making the case to the federal government that we've
got major efficiency advantages here in South Carolina."
John Payne leads the
Military Enhancement Committee, which will use the money to make their case in
Washington. He says sequestration is
only the start of the battle that is going to be big for them, as another round
of base realignment and closures will follow the coming cuts.
"Since Congress
hasn't really decided what they're going to cut and when, it's making our job
more confusing," Payne said. "It's like
the game Whack-a-mole. You hit it and it bounces up somewhere else That's a little like the game we're
playing."
There is one condition on
the money-- it is not to be used for consultants. A total of $200,000 is being distributed
across the state for this same purpose in areas with military presence.
